NH Sportforum: AZ flourishes in a burning football world

The reporters meet the day after the 0-0 at Ajax – AZ on NH Radio in the monthly NH Sportforum. Reporter Milton Pus goes straight in with a straight leg: “This season is the best thing that could happen to Ajax. Just go through it. They now have an excuse to throw the mess out!”

Reporter Thomas Brood is also the first to start about Ajax, but then about the failure of trainer John Heitinga. “It is a painful conclusion, but it has shown that he is completely unsuitable to be Ajax’s head coach next season. At press conferences he does not answer questions. And after the semi-cup final against Feyenoord, as Ajax coach he had had to take a position on the lighter incident with Klaassen, but he kept repeating that he is focusing on the next game.”

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Colleague Stephan Brandhorst, who has packed his bags because he is going to West Ham United – AZ, looks especially hopeful ahead: “The road to the final is open for AZ. That is great after the semi-final in Brussels against Anderlecht (2-0 loss, ed.). Then AZ was dead and buried.”

Draw in Arena

In the competition, AZ unnecessarily drops points, says Brandhorst. “AZ lost third place at the beginning of this month. Winning against Ajax was the perfect opportunity to give the season some extra shine, but AZ is a little behind in the top teams.”

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That last comment is immediately parried by Brood, who has the figures ready. “They are doing very well! In matches against the traditional top-3 they take 41 points, Ajax 36, Feyenoord 26 and PSV 19 points. That is from the ’19/’20 season.” Brandhorst is looking at the current season: “AZ is 7 points below PSV and Feyenoord. What good are previous seasons?”

The big question is why AZ fails to continue. Presenter Edward Dekker suggests that the game against West Ham casts its shadow ahead. “Isn’t that much more important than finishing third or fourth in the competition? It’s not for nothing that Jansen takes Jens Odgaard out preventively.”

Brandhorst thinks it makes little difference and, like Pus, mainly points to the lack of Jesper Karlsson and Dani de Wit in top matches. European expectations of AZ are high. “I don’t rate West Ham much higher than Anderlecht and certainly not than Lazio. AZ is a huge favorite in Europe,” said Brandhorst.

Youth League

Winning the UEFA Youth League by AZ Under 19 years is also not left undiscussed. Pus: “I think it’s great that there is growth of those players to the first team. AZ is reaping the benefits of the fact that the youth academy is located in Wijdewormer, close to the Amsterdam region. That saves a short drive to Alkmaar.”

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Brandhorst meanwhile spoons up another statistic. “According to Paul Brandenburg (head of youth academy, ed.), 50 percent of the players from AZ Under 15 years old end up in professional football. That is a striking number and really very good.”

Brood would also know if he had a talented son who had to choose between the Ajax or AZ youth academy. “Then you choose AZ as a parent. You only hear rave reviews and with the Youth League they have a wonderful calling card with which they can boast nicely.”

Van Der Sar

How different from AZ is the mood in Amsterdam at Ajax? The reporters agree that general manager Edwin van der Sar is responsible for the chaos and sporting malaise. “You notice the chagrin among Ajax supporters. He is held responsible for all incidents,” says Pus.

Bread hooks in effortlessly. “This can’t go on like this, can it? He has left a trail of destruction. At some point you have to draw your conclusions.” Brandhorst: “Van der Sar gets in the way a lot. Especially because there are so many old sores. With another director, Peter Bosz would have been Ajax’s head coach for a long time next year.”

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Where Brood is not pleased with the change of trainers Alfred Schreuder / John Heitinga, he also puts big question marks behind the name of the new technical boss Sven Mislintat. “I have yet to see it. What does he know about the Dutch competition. Mo Allach has a track record at RKC that you can relate to. Why don’t you give him a chance?”

Brandhorst expects the Mislintat to come up with a German trainer. “Nagelsmann?” Dekker asks. “I don’t think he has any interest in Ajax,” said Brandhorst. Pus would still go to Bosz. “It is painful that he was not called by Ajax. He made an open application twice.” According to Dekker, you can also see it differently. “Didn’t he use or abuse the media?”

Pus is the only one who thinks that Ajax will hold onto third place in the Eredivisie. Brandhorst and Brood do not rule out that Ajax will slide down to fourth place in the next three games. Brandhorst: “Everything fails at Ajax this season.”

Lighter incident

The lighter that gave Davy Klaassen a bleeding head in the semi-final of the KNVB Cup during Feyenoord – Ajax has had a major impact on all subsequent matches.

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The protocol tightened by the KNVB has already led to several (temporarily) suspended matches. Brood: “This cannot be enforced. A beer cup on the field, what are we talking about?”

Pus: “I wonder if the end justifies all means?” Brandhorst is happy that the KNVB has taken measures. “This was a direct reason to intervene hard. In the end you get more social control, although you won’t get rid of it in a few weeks. But can we conclude that less is already being thrown on the field?”

Dekker believes that it does have an effect on the number of beer showers on the football field. The cup final could also be played without interruptions. “I thought that would never go well, but it worked despite all the riots and unsportsmanlikeness on the field.”

Brood believes that conclusions are being drawn too early. “I hope for improvement, but I wonder if you can ban it. People do crazy things. Years ago, a stiletto knife was thrown at Fred Bischot. It makes sense that you then strike. My Colombian brother-in-law does not understand at all that here now games are stopped for a cup of beer.”

Relegation ghost

For the third North Holland premier divisionist FC Volendam, direct relegation has been averted, but the play-offs still float like a dark cloud near a sunny terrace. Although the reporters are not afraid that the relegation specter will strike, they are still careful, or so the opinion is. “The last day of play can be super fun with Volendam – Excelsior,” says Brandhorst. Brood also thinks that the decision will only be made in round 34.

Pus and Dekker do not believe in that. “I believe that Volendam will easily stay in it. Emmen will be sixteenth with that tough program”, Pus predicts. Dekker is also optimistic. “I can see Volendam grab a point against Sparta. I expected more from Emmen at home against Twente, but they just lose 3-0.”

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Dekker does sketch another less attractive scenario. It could be that Volendam and Excelsior both need one point at the start of the last round. “That was also the case at the end of the eighties. Then PEC Zwolle and Volendam played 0-0 against each other in a drawing room. They did not want to play football then and AZ was the child of the bill and relegated.”

Mike Snoei

The fact that Telstar is still in the race for a ticket for the play-offs leads to unanimous appreciation for trainer Mike Snoei. But the fact that the trainer got red against Willem II last Friday and now has seven yellow cards to his name is less attractive. Brood: “He can’t stand his loss and goes a bit too far. He looks too much at others. You can be disappointed, but don’t give in to the people around you.”

“But isn’t that just his character?” Pus wonders. Brandhorst, who collided with Snoei after the away match against ADO Den Haag (3-1), believes that this should not be an excuse. “He lets himself go a little too much.”

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Dekker: “He has an exemplary function and then you cannot say that you are happy that the fire is still burning with you at almost 60 years old. He also calls Najah to account for his behavior afterwards against PEC with that finger at Thomas van den calling.”

Brandhorst says he understands the frustration. “That last step is just too high for Telstar. Pruning has completely squeezed Telstar.” Brood thinks that Snoei has delivered craftsmanship anyway, “His behavior is special, but he does push his players to high sporting performances. I said they would be last, but they are having an excellent season. If you keep the core together and there comes offensive reinforcement and maybe another keeper then I do not rule out that they will play play-offs next year.”

You can also listen back to the NH Sportforum via NHRadio.nl The broadcast was on Sunday, May 7 at 5 p.m.